Bible Study - Colossians 4:2-6
- Read Colossians 4:2-6
- Paul had travelled extensively throughout the eastern Mediterranean
region preaching the gospel, founding churches in some towns and
helping to strengthen and develop those he found already in existence.
It is tempting to see such strong and effective leaders as a
never-ending source of inspiration and energy. Yet Paul shows just how
vulnerable he feels. It makes all the difference to how well he can do
his job if congregations elsewhere are praying to God for him - the God
who is ultimately the source of all inspiration and energy.
- So Paul appeals to Colossian Christians to keep up their efforts in
prayer so that his own efforts can be reinforced as he struggles
through an especially bad patch. Church leaders, workers in mission and
in every other branch of the Church's work need our prayers just as
badly and just as constantly as Paul needed the prayers of those
congregations two thousand years ago.
- To think about
- 1. Do I do enough in prayer to support Church leaders nationally,
internationally, locally, as they face difficult problems - problems
with Christians who seem sometimes totally unable to live and work
together in unity, problems with those in the media who are only too
pleased to have some issues on which to snipe at them or denigrate what
they are trying to do?
- 2. Do I remember in my prayers, all those Christians who are trying
desperately to further God's kingdom against all the odds,
Christians who are effectively in chains as Paul was?
- Prayer
- Lord, give strength and wisdom to all who lead your Church. Give
them the courage to speak out fearlessly when in your name; hep them to
battle on as they meet barriers of ignorance and hostility. So support
and inspire them that your kingdom may steadily grow and keep us
constant in our prayerful support for them.